BOZEMAN — Montana State defensive end Kenneth Eiden IV is from Bozeman and always grew up dreaming of playing for the Bobcats.
Flash forward to Eiden's senior year, and he's a captain leading a stout defensive line and fulfilling his family legacy.
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"(It’s) just really a big honor, and (I’m) really excited to be able to put on a good name for Bozeman and do the best I can to represent this town," Eiden said.
What makes programs like Montana State unique in this current landscape is the fact that so many in-state players want to stay home and represent the Cats like Eiden.
"There’s a lot of guys, whether it’s from Bozeman or the state of Montana, where this is the dream," Montana State coach Brent Vigen said. "Kenny’s certainly one of those guys. To see it play out, maybe initially he’s humbled a little bit because he was so good at Bozeman High, and it takes some time here. But he’s continued to work and mature and really become a dominant force and a great leader all at the same time."
For Eiden, it’s more than hometown pride. It’s following in the footsteps of his father, Ken, who was an offensive lineman in the early 1990s for MSU. They’re only the second father-son set of captains for the Cats on record.
"It’s been something we’ve really gotten to bond over, especially the last few years," Eiden said about his dad. "You know, it’s really a family affair. My mom is (my) number one support. She’s got all the Cats gear. She runs the parents’ tailgate and all that, so really a whole family invested into the Cats and playing football and finishing out strong.
"(It’s) something I’ll cherish forever."
For Eiden, and the entirety of his senior class, there’s a balance between trying to savor every moment of a final year playing college ball while still bringing the edge to every game.
"It’s honestly just more motivation," Eiden said about the balance. "Like, yeah, there is some sentimental value to it, but I think we just try to focus on one game at a time and not try and worry about it, because if we take it at one game at a time, you know, we’ll be happy with the results. Making sure we get the most out of every opportunity, instead of look too far ahead and miss opportunities."
This season, Eiden has 27 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. Last season as a junior, he led the Bobcats with nine sacks.
Fourth-ranked Montana State (6-2 overall, 4-0 Big Sky) plays at Northern Colorado (3-5, 1-3) at noon Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Scripps Sports stations across Montana.
